Game board and playing pieces therefor



1949- Y H. w. GU'i'RIDGE 2,434,026

GAME BOARD AND PLAYING PIECES THEREFOR Filed April 9, 1946 1? [I I 2|8|0 .51 INVENTOR.

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Patented Oct. 1 1,1949

' wires" 6 srArEs PATENT oFricE GAME BOARD AND PLAYING PIECES THEREFOR Hollister W. Gutridge, Worcester, Mass.

Application April 9, 1946, Serial No. 660,786

3 Claims. (01. 273-130) This invention relates to a game apparatus employing a divided game board and a plurality of indicator pieces to identify certain characters in the divisions of the game board in the sequence required by a key series of similar characters. The first player correctly identifying the key characters by means of the indicators is the winner.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a game board according to the invention, parts being broken away; Fig. 2 is a view of one of the squares of the game board; and Fig. 3 is a view showing one of the playing pieces.

The reference numeral Ill indicates a game board divided into a plurality of divisions or boxes l2. These divisions are here shown as substantially square but of course rectangles and other shapes may be used. Each individual division is provided with a border of smaller divisions, in this case there being five of these smaller divisions on each side as at M. Since the divisions l2 are here shown as square, it is convenient to show the smaller divisions as square also, and each of the corners I5 is the end division in two right angle rows. The centers of the boxes 12 provide spaces for identifying the boxes as shown.

Certain of the smaller divisions I4 are provided with arrows [8 or other direction indicators, it is these arrows that determine the playing of the game. It will be noted that there are four arrows in each box, this number being variable without departing from the scope of the invention, the positions of the arrows being varied with respect to the boxes.

The indicator pieces 20 are rectangular and of a size to cover all but one row of smaller divisions I 4 in a box l2. Hence if an indicator be superimposed on a box with three sides aligned, an arrow will be seen to point to a character on the indicator.

Each indicator is provided with two rows of divisions 22 corresponding to divisions Hi. The characters are arranged as desired on the indicators and some may be left blank. But in any case a box can be found to point out an indicator character by the arrow, and by using a series of indicators in different boxes, any sequence desired may be found as for instance 1, 2, 3, 4 horizontally, 2, 3, 4 vertically, and 2, 5, 6 diagonally. Any key number may be called, but the higher the number, the more difiicult the game.

It will be seen that each indicator is smaller, by a row of smaller divisions, than the larger divisions or boxes, and, therefore, any indicator will fit in any box, whether horizontally or 2 vertically, and a character will always be pointed out or indicated.

In order to play the game, each player, regardless of number of players, is given a board and a plurality of indicator pieces 20. A key number is made up and announced by the master of ceremonies or by any one of the players and the players then try to match up their indicator pieces in a continuous line with all indicators facing the same way in such a manner that a line of indicators is formed with the arrows or indicator marks l8 giving the key number. For example, in Fig. 1, the indicator pieces 20, which are read horizontal- 1y, give the number 123 and the numbers vertically give the same number, showing two different ways in which the number 123 may be indicated.

No boxes may be skipped, i. e., the indicator pieces must be in a line; however, this line may be diagonal, as well as horizontal or vertical, as long as the indicator pieces 20 are all read from the same position.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. A game comprising a board divided into a series of boxes, each box being subdivided into a series of divisions, an indicating insignia in at least one of said divisions in each box, a series of separate indicator pieces, a series of divisions on each piece corresponding in general in number to said box divisions, and characters in the several piece divisions, so that a piece may be set in any box with the indicating insignia pointing out a character on the piece.

2. A game comprising a board divided into a series of boxes, subdivisions in the boxes, an indicating mark in certain of the subdivisions, separate pieces smaller than the boxes, subdivisions thereon, characters in the piece subdivisions, certain of the box and piece sub-divisions being substantially aligned when a piece is set with an edge thereof on an edge of a box, and a piece subdivision being adapted to be pointed out by the mark.

3. A game comprising a board divided into a series of rows of boxes, each box having a border of subdivisions, an indicating mark in a subdivision at each side of each box, a plurality of pieces each of which is smaller than a box by the width of a row of box subdivisions, so that a piece fits in a box but exposes one row of said subdivisions, subdivisions along opposite edges of each piece, and different characters in said piece subdivisions, whereby a character may be pointed UNITED TES out by one indicating mark in each box. STA PATENTS Number Name Date HOLIJSTER W. GUTRIDGE. 69 Z1685 May 7, 1935 5 '1 REFERENCES CITED N b PATENTS t um er oun ry Da, e The following references are of record in the 750,491 Great Britain M ay 29 1933 file of this patent: 

